Five Apple Stores to Visit Before You Die

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Photo: kamoda. Used with a CC-license from flckr.

As Apple ponders a makeover of some of its stores — the first international remodel is underway in Bluewater (UK) — it’s a good time to consider which of the over 250 retail outlets are worth making a pilgrimage to, or a slight detour if something goes awry while you’re on the road.

The top five must-see Apple stores, as per travel site Jaunted, are London, Tokyo, Sydney, New York — and Scottsdale.

What’s on your list? Let us know in the comments.

Pics and nominations after the jump.

Tokyo
Five full floors of Apple products in the bustling Ginza district, this store has been popular since it opened doors in 2003 when it had the longest waiting line (1,982 people) for any Apple grand opening.

My personal traveler fantasy: to be there on New Year’s Day and participate in the lucky bag tradition by waiting in line to buy an Apple “mystery bag.”

Sydney

Apple store in Sydney. Photo: shaondiwaka. Used with a CC-license from flckr.
Apple store in Sydney. Photo: shaondiwaka. Used with a CC-license from flckr.

Apple’s 215th retail store opened up down under about a year ago. The George Street store has the longest Genius bar — smarted up with a staff of 20 — and the facade is graced by the largest Apple logo in the world.

Scottsdale

Scottsdale's aquarium-like store. Photo: Apple.
Scottsdale's aquarium-like store. Photo: Apple.

An Oasis in the desert, this recently-opened Arizona store goes for aquarium-like simplicity with matching glass floor-to-ceiling front and back that will influence the architecture of future Apple stores. The windows are about 20-feet high, topped by a 75-foot skylight. From the pic, I half understand the nomination, but not sure if it’s worth making a special trip to.

London Regent Street

Royal treatment: Apple's London store. Photo: Apple.
Royal treatment: Apple's London store. Photo: Apple.

The facade of the London store has a nice mix of old-world meets new technology, fitting for a property still owned by the crown. The Regent street outlet is Apple’s largest outlet (28,000 sq. feet) and boasts plenty of gear, but the real draw may be the ongoing events — from in-store concerts (Demi Lovato)  to a meet-the-author series (Stephen Fry) it’s worth taking a gander at the schedule beforehand.

New York (Fifth Avenue Store)

The Fifth Ave. store by night. Photo: sultancillo, used with a CC license on flickr.
The Fifth Ave. store by night. Photo: sultancillo, used with a CC license on flickr.

Although Manhattan has the highest Apple-store density of any city in the world — three stores within 3.1 miles — the 5th Avenue location is a favorite for late-night browsers and early morning rescues: it’s open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. In keeping with its posh neighbors, Fifth Ave locale was one of  Apple’s priciest stores costing over $10 million, including demolition, store and glass cube.

Which Apple stores do you think are must-sees?

Via Jaunted

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